Nearly 500 inmates of Belgian prisons are being forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor due to overcrowding.
The figure was confirmed by the prison administration on Monday, following data released by unions. Despite a nationwide protest on 2 October, the inmate population has grown from 13,173 to 13,400, with 499 of them sleeping without proper beds.
The overcrowding is particularly acute in francophone prisons, which saw an increase of 44 inmates in a week. In contrast, prisons in Flanders recorded 25 fewer inmates, while Brussels added 11 more.
Overall, prison facilities have been housing 30 additional inmates since Monday of last week.
In Wallonia, 183 inmates are sleeping on the floor in nine prisons. The most affected facilities are Marche (35 inmates, including five women), Leuze (34), Nivelles (32), Tournai (27), Namur (20), and Mons (19, including four women).
Flemish prisons are also struggling, with 316 prisoners lacking proper beds across ten institutions. Antwerp (67), Ghent (47), Dendermonde (41), Ypres (33), Oudenaarde (28), and Brugge (26) are the hardest hit. Other facilities facing shortages include Hasselt (26), Mechelen (19), Turnhout (16), and Leuven-Central (13).
Prison unions and administrators have long sounded the alarm about the inhumane conditions and risks faced by staff due to overcrowding.
“We make every effort to keep the prison system functioning in the interest of public safety,” said the administration’s spokesperson. “However, this situation is no longer acceptable for our staff. Urgent measures are needed.”
